Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I think many Australians do wonder, when they go to the supermarket, why a bottle of water costs more than the equivalent volume in milk. People are quite right to question that. However, in relation to these operations within the marketplace, it is the view of successive governments that the best approach to these matters is not necessarily to have the ham-fisted approach of government, but to have regulatory authorities undertake the task of ensuring that no undue market pressure is brought to bear. That is why we have the ACCC. Whether the ACCC is performing its tasks sufficiently in that area is a matter of community debate, I understand. It is an appropriate debate in a free country like ours to have matters—(Time expired)